Deck 11: E: The Worlds of Christendom Contraction, Expansion, and Division 500-1300

Question 1

Historical Analysis: In what respects was Western Europe a hybrid civilization? Was the Byzantine Empire a hybrid civilization as well?

Answer 1

•A definition of a hybrid civilization as one that combines old and new elements
•Identification and examples of the classical and Germanic elements that underpinned Western Europe
•Discussion of the greater continuity between the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire

Question 2

Between 500 and 1300,how did the ideas and practices of Christian communities throughout the Afro-Eurasian world differ from one another?

Answer 2

•A discussion of Roman Catholicism and Eastern orthodox Christianity should focus on theological disagreements (the nature of the Trinity,the source of the Holy Spirit,original sin,the relationship between faith and reason)and differences in church practice (celibacy,use of icons,type of bread used in religious services).
•A discussion of Russia should note attempts at the Russification of Eastern orthodox Christianity.
•A discussion of Christianity in Asia should discuss the influence of Buddhism and Daoism on the Nestorian church in China,as seen,for example,in the Jesus Sutras.
•A discussion of Christianity in Africa should focus on Ethiopia and explain the stories that traced Ethiopian ancestry to Jesus.

Question 3

Comparative Analysis: What distinctive types of third-wave civilizations emerged in Eurasia between 500 and 1300?

Answer 3

•older classical civilizations persisted or were reconstructed (Byzantium and China).
•In some regions,such as Kievan Rus,civilizations arose where none had existed before.These emerging civilizations were heavily influenced by established civilizations (the Byzantine Empire in the case of Kievan Rus).
•Western Europe provided a third model of a dynamic and expansive "hybrid civilization" that combined old and new in a unique blend.

Question 4

Historical Analysis: What factors contributed to the emergence of Western Europe as a dynamic civilization after 1000 C.E.?